Reversible sprinkler



Dec. 17, 1957 J. A. ROYER 2,816,798

' REVERSIBLE SPRINKLER Filed July so, 1954' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJohn H. Raye! BY T'CULLZZ/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent REVERSIBLESPRINKLER John A. Royer, Fresno, Calif., assignor to BucknerManufacturing Company, Inc., Fresno, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication July 30, 1954, Serial No. 446,880

6 Claims. (Cl. 299-71) This invention relates to reversible sprinklersof the type adapted to be mounted in a fixed position and to besupported from fittings on an underground water supply system, and tosprinkle definite areas of large lawns, gardens, etc.

The sprinkler of the present invention has certain features of controland operation similar to, and represents improvements over, thesprinkler shown in the Royer Patent No. 2,606,789 and that shown in theBuckner Patent No. 2,345,030.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a reversiblesprinkler of the above recited general character having novel andsimplified means to control and effect the reversing movement of thesprinkler head, and which is arranged so that the weight of thedifferent parts is distributed so as to be substantially balancedrelative to the axis of rotation of the sprinkler head, and thus avoidany uneven pressure on the turnable spindle of the head such as wouldtend to cause the same to stick or be subjected to excessive wear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler of the typedescribed which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the improved sprinkler, with the spoonmember partly broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the sprinkler shown at the start of anarcuate or swinging movement in a counterclockwise direction.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but with the spoon member removed to moreclearly show the reversing mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a similar view, but showing the reversing mechanism afterhaving been actuated to reverse the direction of rotation of thesprinkler head or nozzle, and with the latter at the start of a rotativemovement in a clockwise direction.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters ofreference marked thereon, the sprinkler comprises an upstanding tubularbase 1 adapted to be mounted in a stationary positionon a suitablewatersupply fitting, the base turnably supporting a tubular stem Z'rigidwithan upstanding angular passage head 3. Secured in and projectingforwardly at an upward angle from the upper end of the head is a nozzle4 having a forwardly facing jet opening 5, and from the upper side ofwhich nozzle an elongated arm 6 extends forwardly. At its forward endthe arm 6 carries an axially adjustable pin 7 disposed at right anglesto, and depending into the path of, the stream issuing from the jetopening when such stream is uninterrupted, so as to cause such stream tobe broken up.

A spindle 8 upstands from head 3 parallel to stem 2, preferablyforwardly thereof somewhat; said spindle carrying a turnable sleeve 9 onwhich is fixed a transverse boss 10 disposed behind or rearwardly of thespindle and from which lateral trunnions 11 project.

Swung from the trunnions are the side arms 12 of a rigid spoon member Sof generally rectangular form and including a weighted portion 13connecting the arms 12 at their rear end, back of the trunnions. At itsforward end, but rearwardly of pin 7, member S is formed with a pair oflaterally spaced spoons 14 and 15 disposed under arm 6, and each in turnnormally intersecting the path of the stream issuing from nozzle opening5. Each spoon is shaped so that the stream striking the same not onlytends to depress the forward end of member S, against the resistance ofweight 13, but also tends to swing said member about spindle 8 as anaxis, in the direction of theother spoon. Back of the spoons a cross bar16 connects arms 12'just above the stream, and normally bears againstthe under side of the arm 6 to limit the lifting movement of the forwardend of member S by the weight 13, and also acting to jar the head whenengaging the same, to prevent possible sticking of the head.

Lateral swinging of the spoon member about spindle 8 and relative to thesprinkler head is limited by means of a depending finger 17 on the boss10 centrally of its length and which projects between laterally spacedlugs 18 and 18a on the rear side of head 3. The spacing of the lugs issuch as to allow a swing of the spoon member on the spindle 8 sufiicientonly to dispose one spoon or the other in line with the stream from thenozzle.

A boss 19 is formed with the head 3 at its lower end at the back, inopposed relation to the nozzle, and supports a forwardly projecting ringmember 20, disposed about the lower portion of the head 3, and providedwith a depending spindle 21 turnable in the boss 19.

The ring is formed with a laterally elongated opening 22 through whichsaid lower portion of the head projects, and arranged to allow of apredetermined arc of swinging of the ring about its spindle 21 andrelative to head 3.

At its forward end the ring 20 is provided with a depending fork 23 inwhich a pin 24 is transversely pivoted for swinging movement between adepending position and a substantially horizontal position. The pin whendepending is disposed so that it lies in the path of radial stop arms 25and 26 turnablymounted on the base 1 and separately adjustable thereonrelative to the base and to each other in a circumferential direction.

The ring 20 at its rear end is formed with an upstanding forwardlyprojecting finger 27 disposed in facing relation to finger 17, andconnected thereby by a snapaction spring 28, which normally serves tohold the ring and spoon member at their relatively opposed limits oftravel.

From the above description, together with the showing of the drawings,it will be seen that the parts are so arranged relative to the mainspindle 2 that their weight is distributed so as to be substantiallybalanced relative to said spindle, thus avoiding to a great degree anytendency, for .such spindle to bind or be subjected to undue wear.

In the operation of the sprinkler from the position shown in Figs. 2 and3, water issuing from the nozzle opening 5 strikes the spoon 14, causingmember S to be depressed at its forward end after exerting a rotativeimpulse to member 3 due to the contact of finger 17 with thecorresponding lug 18.

When the member S has been depressed clear of the stream, weight 13 actsto swing said member S up to its original position; cross bar 16striking arm 6 to limit such upward movement and also jarring the head 3to prevent any possible sticking thereof, This action is 3 repeateduntil the nozzle 4, head 3, spoon member S, and ring 20 have beenrotated as a unit sufficiently to bring pin 24 into contact with thestop arm 26.

Further rotative movement then imparted to the parts in the samedirection causes ring 20, which up to this time has been held stationarywith the head 3 due to the fact that one end of opening 22 of the ringabuts against the head 3, to be now held stationary relative to saidhead, until the snap action spring 28 acts, through its connection withfinger 17, to swing sleeve 9 on spindle 8 and thus swing member S toreverse the relationship of the spoons 14 and 15 relative to the nozzle4, or to the position shown in Fig. 4; the finger 17 then engaging theother lug 1811.

In other words, spoon 15 is then positioned in the path of the stream,and from then on the direction of rotation of the sprinkler is reverseduntil vpin 24 .engages stop arm 25 and the relationship of .the'fspo'on:rnernber to the nozzle is again reversed, or returned to the startingposition of -Figs.,2 and 3.

If uninterrupted rotation is desired ,pin '24 is swung up clear of thearms 25 and 26, as indicated in Fig. 1.

It may be noted that the feature of a vertically swinging spoon memberis shown generally in the aforementioned Royer Patent No. 2,606,789,while adjustable stop arms are shown in the Buckner Patent No.2,345,030.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects ofthe invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A reversible sprinkler comprising a fixed base, a sprinkler headturnable on the base andhaving a radially discharging nozzle, a spoonmember having a .pair of laterally spaced spoons disposed ahead of thenozzle, 21 unit mounting the member on the head for vertical tiltingmovement relative to the unit and separate lateral swinging movementwith the unit audrelative to the head, cooperating loose-play stop meanson the head and unit 'to limit the extent of swinging movement of theunitso as to dispose the spoons alternately in the path of the streamissuing from the nozzle, each spoon being shaped and disposed to causethe stream impinging against the same to tilt the spoon memberdownwardly and also impart rotation thereto in the direction of theother spoon,

circumferentially spaced stops projecting from the base, and a devicemounted on the sprinkler head and coopmating with the mounting unit andincluding a stop engaging element, functioning upon rotation of the headand spoon member by reason of the engagement of the nozzle stream withone spoon until the stop element engages one stop, to swing the spoonmember laterally relative to the head, to dispose the other spoon in astream engaging position so that such stream will impart rotation to thespoon member and the head in the opposite direction.

2. A sprinkler, as in claim 1, in which thespoon member includes sidearms on opposite sides of the head and nozzle and supported by themounting means; the spoons being connected to the arms ahead of thenozzle, and a weighted portion connecting the arms back of the head andmounting means.

3. A sprinkler, as in claim 2, with an arm rigid with and projectingforwardly from the nozzle, and a cross bar on the spoon member betweenthe spoons and the nozzle and normally engaging said rigid arm.

4. A sprinkler, as in claim 1, in which the spoonmember mounting meanscomprises an upstanding spindle on the sprinkler head, a sleeve turnableon the spindle, a transverse boss on the sleeve back of the same, andtrunnions projecting laterally from the boss, the spoon member includingside arms in which the trunnions are journaled.

'5. In a sprinkling device having a rotatable sprinkling head mountedfor alternate clockwise and counterclockwise rotation and 'a-nozzle forradially projecting astream of liquid during rotation of said head, acomposite impulse element comprising a frame, a deflector head at oneend of said frame, a counterweight at the other end of said frame, andmeans intermediate the said ends of said frame for mounting said impulseelement for oscillation on said sprinkling head and for placement ofsaid deflector head in the path of said stream, the said deflector headhaving a pair of integrally arranged, opposed, deflecting surfaces forselective impingement thereon of said stream, each deflecting surface ofsaid pair curving upwardly and outwardly in a direction away from theline of said stream for distribution thereof in an upward, forward andsidewise sweep while effecting selectively said clockwise andcounterclockwise rotation of said sprinkling head.

6. In a sprinkling device having a sprinkling head mounted for rotationabout a vertical axis and for radially projecting a stream, a spindlemounted vertically adjacent said sprinkling head, an arm having one endhinged on said spindle and the other end movable sidewise, an impulseelement mounted for oscillation on an axis positioned horizontally onsaid arm intermediate said ends, a

deflector head on said impulse element having a pair of opposeddeflector surfaces for effecting selectively clockwise rotation andcounterclockwise rotation of said sprinkling head by the force of saidstream impinging on said deflector surfaces, and means for moving saidother end-ofgsaid arm to position the deflector head in the path of thestream to effect the rotation of the sprinkling head in the selecteddirection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,710,107 Orr Apr. 23, 1929 1,798,488 Orr Mar. 31, 1931 2,228,720 ColesJan. 14, 1941 2,256,737 Englehart Sept. 23, 1941 2,309,782 Orr Feb. 2,1943 2,345,030 Buckner Mar. 28, 1944 2,421,551 'Dunham June 3, 19472,691,547 Campbell Oct. 12, 1954

